Means for pressing the bottoms of shoes



arch H, H937. c. w. GREENE 2,973,533

MEANS FOR PRESSING THE BOTTOMS 0F SHOES Filed May 17, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l AWE/ M? E N E E R G W C I MEANS FOR PRESSING THE BOTTOMS OF SHOES Filed May 17, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 16,, 1937. c, w, GREENE 2,073,633

MEANS FOR PRESSING THE BOTTOMS OF SHOES Filed May 17, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Mar. 16,1937

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Chester W. Greene, Lynn, Mass,

assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Paterson,

N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 17, 1935, Serial No. 22,051 In Great Britain April 3, 1935 19 Claims.

This invention relates to means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, and in some aspects has more particularly in view the provision of improved means for applying pressure and heat to the lasted margin of an upper overlying an insole preparatory tothe application of an outsole to the shoe. It will be recognized, however, that ,in various novel features the invention is not 7 limited to means for thus treating the margins of uppers, but is of more general utility as applied to the pressing of the bottoms of shoes.

In the manufacture of shoes it is sometimes advantageous after the lasting operation to apply pressure and heat to the margin of the upper overlying the insole, especially in making shoes of that type in which the margin of the lasted upper lies in generally parallel relation tothe bottom of the last, in order to remove any wrinkles that there may be in the upper 2 over the insole and to provide an even surface close to the insole for the reception of the outsole. The use of such pressure and heat is usually further advantageous when the upper is secured in lasted relation to the insole by an adhesive, especially if the adhesive has not completely set or hardened, since the upper is thereby pressed more closely and firmly into adhering relation to the insole and the setting or hardening of the adhesive is accelerated by the heat. 0 In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention novel means for thus treating the margin of an upper is incorporated in a lasting machine in such relation to the lasting means as to enable the operator readily to present the shoe for the bottom-pressing operation immediately after the lasting operation. In the construction herein, shown the pressing means comprises a device formed to operate on the forepart of the shoe bottom and arranged to receive the shoe presented thereto bottom downward, the device being located somewhat farther rearwardly and higher than the position occupied by the shoe in. the lasting operation within convenient reach of the operator in his normal working position n front of the machine. As further herein illustrated the shoeis forced firmly against the pressing device, after it has been presented by the operator in engagement therewith, by a treadleoperated toe-rest which is locked to hold the shoe under pressure as long as desired.

In addition to features of construction such as to facilitate the presentation and the pressing of the shoe in the manner above described, there are also novel features in a pressing device or 5 unit having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon but so controlled as'to apply firm pressure to the shoe. As herein illustrated, the shoe-engaging portion of the device comprises a flexible 5 metal plate formed to extend across the shoe bottom so as to act on both sides of the shoe bottom simultan'eously,-the plate being loosely confined at its opposite side margins and being backed up by a group of loose elements, preferably metal b3,11S,'WhlCh adjust themselves :with the plate to the contour of the shoe and act thereafter to increase the pressure'of the plate on the shoe. As further illustrated, there is a yieldable backing for the group of balls whereby the group is restored to its initial condition after displacement by a shoe, this yieldable backing in the construction shown comprising leaf springs so arranged as to be more yieldable opposite the ball portion of the shoe than opposite the toe portion for a purpose hereinafter described.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of a portion of a bed-lasting machine provided with pressing means constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bottom-pressing device or unit, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 shows a portion of the structure as viewed from the left-hand end of the machine, with the bottom-pressing device in section, and illustrates the positions of the parts prior to the application of any substantial pressure to the shoe;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 3, but illustrating the positions of the parts with the shoe under pressure;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the shoe and the bottom-pressing plate, as the plate appears when the shoe is under pressure; and 45 Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the bottom of the forepart of the shoe after it has been operated upon by the pressing means.

The shoe-pressing means is herein shown as incorporated in a bed-lasting machine of a Well- 0 known type, characteristic features of which, relating especially to the lasting of the toe end of a shoe, are described in detail, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 1,284,870, granted on November 12, 1918, upon an application of Matthias Brock. In view of such prior disclosure, and in view of the further fact that the invention is not limited as to the character of the lasting machine in which the shoe-pressing means is incorporated, if it is incorporated in any lasting machine, the construction of parts of the machine other than the shoe-pressing means will be referred to only very briefly. The shoe is supported for the lasting operation on a spindle In which enters the spindle hole in the heel end of the last and on a toe rest I2, and its heel end is engaged and clamped by a heel band l4. For wiping the toe end of the upper heightwise of the last and inwardly over an insole on the last there are provided toe-embracing wipers, a portion of one of which is shown at l6, these wipers being advanced and closed by mechanism operated by a hand lever I8. Controlled by the same hand lever is a toe band 20 which embraces and clamps the upper around the toe end of the last near the edge of the shoe bottom, this toe band, however, being sometimes omitted. The wipers and the toe band are supported on a vertically movable slide 22 connected 2 by a link 24 to a double acting treadle 26 by the use of which the operator raises the wipers to wipe the upper upwardly and also forces them down upon the shoe bottom during or after their inward wiping movements.

For purposes of the present invention there is supported on a frame member 28 of the machine, somewhat higher and farther rearwardly than the position occupied by the shoe in the lasting operation but within convenient reach of the operator in his norm-a1 working position in front of the machine, a bottom-pressing device or unit 36 which comprises a bracket 32 fast on the member 28 and a substantially rectangular hollow casting 34 secured on a shelf-like portion 36 of the bracket 32. The casting 34- serves as a holder for a group of loose metal balls 38 supported underneath. by means hereinafter described, a portion only of the group of balls being shown in Figs. 3 and 4. These balls are confined in part by the walls of the casting 34 and in part by a row of parallel pins 46 slidingly mounted in the casting and arranged to extend all the way around the upper portion of the group of balls, the pins being near enough together to prevent escape of any of the balls. The pins 40 are pressed upwardly by springs 42 mounted in recesses in the casting 34 and pressing upwardly against enlarged heads 44 on the lower ends of the pins, these heads serving by engagement with the casting to limit upward movements of the pins. Supported loosely at its margin on the upper ends of the pins 40 is a thin flexible resilient metal plate 46 arranged to serve as a bottompressing plate or presser in engagement with the margin of the lasted forepart of the upper, this plate being loosely confined above by a rim 48 secured to the casting 34 and overlapping the marginal portions of the plate. This rim is so formed as not to extend over that portion of the casting 34 which is located under the bottom of the shoe at the rear of the forepart in the pressing operation, and in this location also the casting has a recess 50 therein to insure against its contact with a shoe under any conditions. In that portion of the plate 46 which engages the bottom of the shoe at the rear of its toe portion is a slit 52 extending lengthwise of the shoe substantially midway between the opposite side edges of the plate to facilitate bending of the plate into conformity to the contour of the bottom of the shoe, this slit preferably terminating, as illustrated, short of that portion of the plate which engages the toe portion of the shoe. The balls 38, which serve as a backing for the plate 46 underneath the plate, are themselves backed up or supported below by a plurality of leaf springs 54 arranged to extend lengthwise of the shoe in superposed contiguous relation to one another and secured at the ends thereof which are nearest the toe end of the shoe to the casting 34 in a recess provided in the casting. The two upper springs 54 in the construction herein shown are of the same length with their free ends substantially opposite the ball portion of the shoe, but the others decrease progressively in length toward the bottom of the group of springs, this construction serving to increase the yieldability of the portions of the springs which underlie the ball portion of the shoe as compared with the portions underlying the toe of the shoe. Mounted in the casting 34 and ex tending substantially all the way around the group of balls 38 is an electrical heating unit 56 to which electrical current is supplied through a control box 58 (Fig. 1) fast on one side of the casting 34. The casting 34 is thus maintained in a heated condition, and from the casting the heat is conducted to the balls 38 and the pressing plate 46.

It will thus be seen that the bottom-pressing device 30 is arranged to receive a shoe placed thereon bottom downward, the device being inclined somewhat forwardly and downwardly toward the operators working position to facilitate the presentation of the shoe to the device. After the shoe has been thus presented by the operator with the bottom of its forepart in contact with the plate 46, it is forced downwardly by a toe rest 60 which is movable into contact with the shoe at the top of the forepart and, as herein shown, is of such length as to extend somewhat rearwardly of the toe portion of the shoe. This toe rest, in the construction shown, comprises a hollow receptacle 62 which may be formed of leather and preferably contains material such as sand, as indicated at 64 (Fig. 4) to permit the toe rest to conform to the contours of different shoes while nevertheless serving as means through which firm pressure may be applied to each shoe. The receptacle 62 is clamped by means of an interior plate 66 and screws 68 to a plate 10 detachably mounted on the upper end portion of an arm 12. This upper end portion of the arm is curved laterally and downwardly so that the toe rest 66 occupies a position over the plate 46. The arm 12 is secured at its lower end to the upper end of a rod 14 which is vertically movable in a bearing in the frame of the machine and is operated by means of substantially the same construction as provided heretofore in machines of the illustrated type for operating a similar rod which carries a shoe holddown member, as disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,120,822, granted on December 15, 1914 upon an application of E. L. Keyes. As therein more fully shown and described, the rod 14 is connected by a link '16 (Fig. 1) to a treadle 1B which is normally held in upraised position by a spring and is locked in depressed position by mechanism comprising a pawl 82 arranged to engage ratchet teeth 84 formed on a vertically movable bar 86 connected to the treadle. It will thus be understood that by depression of the treadle the toe rest 66 is operated to force the shoe downwardly and that by the pawl 82 the toe rest is maintained in position to hold the shoe under pressure as long as may be desired. To release the shoe the pawl is operated by a pivoted member 88 arranged to be "engaged by the knee of the operator and connected to the pawl by a link 90, as more fully disclosed in the last-mentioned Letters Patent.

It will be understood that prior to the operation of the pressing means on the shoe the forepart of the shoe will have been previously lasted. If

thepressing means is part of a bed-lasting machine, as herein shown, the operator lasts the toe end of the shoe in the customary manner by use of the toe wipers [6, preferably using adhesive to fasten the upper to the insole. The remainder of the forepart of the shoe at the rear of the toe portion may have been already lasted, preferably although not necessarily with adhesive, before the shoe comes to this lasting machine, or in case this portion of the shoe has not 20 been lasted, it may be lasted manually while the shoe is on its support in the lasting machine. When the shoe is ready for the bottom-pressing operation the operator presents it bottom downward with its forepart in contact with the pressing plate 46 and by means of the treadle 18 presses the shoe downwardly through the toe rest 6|] to cause the bottom-pressing device to apply its pressure to the margin of the upper. Before the pressure is applied the plate 46 lies substantially in a planeand' the springs 54 are substantially straight; as illustrated in Fig. 3, and as the shoe is forced downwardly the plate 46 bends into conformity to the contour of the shoe bottom in response to pressure of the shoe thereon. The balls 38 approximately fill the space in which they are confined, but are lose enough to permit them to adjust themselves with the plate 46 to the contour of the bottom of the shoe, after which they serve by their resistance to downward movement of the shoe to increase the pressure of the plate on the margin of the upper. In response to the pressure of the shoe on the plate the leaf springs 54 yield more or less as illustrated in Fig. 4, and since the portions of the springs which are under the ball portion of the shoe are more yieldable than the portions which are under the toe of the shoe the balls 38 oppose greater resistance to the depression of the portion of the plate 46 which is under the toe than they do to the depression of the portion of the plate under the ball of the shoe. This serves to avoid any undesirable tilting of the shoe by the action of the toe rest thereon if the latter should engage the shoe comparatively near the end of the toe, such as might otherwise occur by reason of the fact that the area of the toe portion of the shoe bottom. is less than that of the ball portion, and also results in the application of relatively greater pressure to the margin of the upper at the toe portion where comparatively heavy pressure is needed because of the gathering of the margin over the insole. As the shoe is forced downwardly the pins 40 may be depressed more or less by the pressure of the plate 46 on their upper ends. After the shoe has been forced downwardly asdescribed the toe rest 60 and its supporting arm 12 are locked against upward movement by the action of the pawl 82 on the teeth 84, to permit the shoe to be subjected to the pressure and heat as long as desired without the necessity for the operator to hold the treadle l8 depressed. The shoe may thus be left under pressure while the operator is lasting another shoe. To release the shoe the operator presses with his knee on the member 88,Whereupon the arm 12 is lifted by the spring'80 and the parts of the pressing device 3|] resume theirinitial positions, the group of balls 38 being restored to its initial condition by the springs 54.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device having a heated metallic shoe-pressing portion arranged to receive a shoe presented by the operator with the lasted margin of the upper in engagement therewith, and means movable by the operator into engagement with the shoe to press it upon said device after it has been thus presented.

2. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device having a heated metallic shoe-pressing portion arranged to receive a shoe presented bottom downward by the operator with the lasted margin of the upper in engagement therewith, treadle-operated means movable into engagement with the shoe to press it upon said device after the shoe has been thus presented, and mechanism for locking said treadle-operated means to maintain the shoe under pressure.

3. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device having a heated metallic shoe-pressing portion arranged to receive a shoe presented bottom downward by the operator with the lasted margin of the upper in engagement therewith, said shoe-pressing portion being inclined forwardly and downwardly toward the operators working position, and means movable into engagement with the shoe to press it upon said device after the shoe has been thus presented.

4. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of the lasted forepart of a shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device having a heated metallic shoe-pressing portion arranged to receive a shoe presented by the operator with the lasted margin'of the forepart of the upper in engagement therewith, and means arranged to press the shoe upon said device by acting thereon at the top of the forepart only and movable into engagement with the shoe after the shoe has been thus presented.

5. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of the lasted forepart of a shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device having a heated metallic shoe-pressing portion arranged to receive a shoe presented bottom downward by the operator with the lasted margin of the forepart of the upper in engagement therewith, said shoe-pressing portion being inclined downwardly and forwardly toward the operators working position, a toe rest movable into engagement with the shoe at the top of the forepart to press it upon said device after the shoe has been thus presented, a member movable by the operator to operate said toe rest, and means for locking the toe rest in position to maintain the pressure on the shoe. 7

6. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising a heated metallic presser formed to extend across the bottom of the shoe for engagement with the lasted margin of the upper at the opposite sides of the shoe bottom simultaneously and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said presser, and a group of loose elements in said holder arranged to serve as a backing for the presser and to adjust themselves with the presser to the contour of the bottom of the shoe.

'7. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device forapplying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising a plate arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper on the opposite sides of the shoe bottom simultaneously and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said plate, means on said holder arranged to overlap and loosely confine the opposite side margins of said plate, a group of loose elements in said holder arranged to adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the plate and thereafter to increase the pressure of the plate on the shoe, and means for heating the plate and said group of loose elements.

8. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising a plate arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper on the opposite sides of the shoe bottom simultaneously and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said plate, a group of metal balls in said holder arranged to adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the plate and thereafter to increase the pressure of the plate on the shoe, a row of yieldable pins arranged to confine the group of balls laterally, the margins of the plate engaging the outer ends of said pins, means on said holder arranged to confine the opposite side margins of the plate loosely on the pins, and means for heating the plate.

9. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a shoe after lasting but before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device being arranged to receive a shoe presented bottom downward by the operator with the lasted margin of the upper around the end of the toe and along the sides of the forepart in engagement therewith and comprising a heated metallic upperengaging presser flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a group of loose elements arranged to serve as a backing for said presser and to adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the presser, and means movable into engagement with the shoe to force it down on said presser after the shoe has been presented by the operator in engagement with the presser.

10. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a group of loose elements arranged to back up said shoe-engaging portion and to adjust themselves therewith to the contour of the shoe, a holder in which said loose elements are confined, and yieldable means in said holder for supporting said group of elements against the pressure of the shoe thereon.

11. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the forepart of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a group of balls arranged to back up said shoe-engaging portion and to adjust themselves therewith to the contour of the shoe, and yieldable means comprising a leaf spring arranged to extend lengthwise of the shoe and to support said group of balls against the pressure of the shoe thereon, said leaf spring being secured in a location relatively near the toe end of the shoe and having a free end located substantially opposite the ball portion of the shoe.

12. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the forepart of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a group of balls arranged to back up said shoe-engaging portion and to adjust themselves therewith to the contour of the shoe, and yieldable means comprising a plurality of leaf springs arranged to extend lengthwise of the shoe in superposed relation to one another to support said group of balls against the pressure of the shoe thereon, said leaf springs being secured in a location relatively near the toe end of the shoe and extending respectively different distances along the forepart of the shoe bottom.

13. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a group of loose elements relatively movable in all directions arranged to back up said shoe-engaging portion and displaceable to conform therewith to the contour of the shoe, and a yieldable backing for said group of elements arranged to restore the group substantially to its initial condition when the shoe is released from pressure.

14. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device having a shoe-engaging portion flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, means for pressing the shoe upon said device by acting thereon at the top of the forepart only,

a group of loose elements arranged to back up said shoe-engaging portion and to adjust themselves therewith to the contour of the shoe, and a yieldable backing for said group of elements more yieldable in a location opposite the ball portion of the shoe than in a location opposite the toe portion.

15. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device comprising a metal plate formed to extend across the bottom of a shoe from side to side thereof and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said plate, means on said holder arranged to overlap and loosely confine the opposite side margins of said plate, and a group of balls in said holder arranged to adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the plate and thereafter to increase the pressure of the plate on the shoe.

16. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a pressing device comprising a metal plate formed to extend across the bottom of a shoe from side to side thereof and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said plate, means on said holder arranged to confine loosely the opposite side margins of said plate, a group of balls in said holder arranged to adjust themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the plate and thereafter to increase the pressure of the plate on the shoe, and a row of pins arranged to confine the group of balls laterally and. to engage the opposite side margins of the plate, the pins being yieldingly movable lengthwise in response to pressure of the plate thereon.

17. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a metallic presser arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe presented bottom downward and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a holder for said presser, a group of loose elements in said holder arranged to serve as a backing for the presser and to adjust themselves therewith to the contour of the shoe, and means movable downwardly into engagement with the shoe to force it against said presser after the shoe has been presented in engagement with the presser.

18. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a plate arranged to engage and press the bottom of the forepart of a shoe, said plate being flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon and having therein a slit arranged to extend lengthwise of the shoe opposite the bottom of the forepart throughout a portion only of the length of the plate.

19. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a plate arranged to engage and press the bottom of the forepart of a shoe, said plate being flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon and having therein a slit arranged to extend lengthwise of the shoe opposite the bottom of the forepart substantially midway between the opposite side edges of the plate but terminating short of that portion of the plate which engages the toe end of the shoe.

CHESTER W. GREENE. 

